Field
The present disclosure relates to flat gas discharge tubes.
Description of the Related Art
Many electronic devices and circuits utilize a gas discharge tube (GDT) device having a volume of gas confined between two electrodes. When sufficient potential difference exists between the two electrodes, the gas can ionize to provide a conductive medium to thereby yield a current in the form of an arc.
Based on such an operating principle, a GDT can be configured to provide reliable and effective overvoltage protection for various applications during electrical disturbances. In some applications, a GDT may be preferable over, for example, a semiconductor avalanche diode or thyristor device. Semiconductor devices typically have higher capacitances that are dependent on the voltage applied. This can cause unrecoverable distortion and high insertion and return losses in the protected communication channel. Accordingly, GDTs are frequently used in telecommunications and other applications where protection against electrical disturbances such as overvoltages is desired.